PRIDE OF THE FOOTHILLS ALL STAR TOURNAMENT: La Verne Girls Teams Are Perfect on a Gorgeous Night for Softball

Homer Heroes: From left, Brittany Griffin, Lori Gatlin and Jenna Gonzalez each homered for the La Verne 12Us in their 17-3 victory over Temple City.

La Verne 10, Glendora Silver 2

 

 

 

 

The 12U, 10U and 8U divisions of the La Verne Girls Softball Association showcased their considerable talents on Friday night, outscoring their opponents by a combined 35-8 margin in the opening round of the Pride of the Foothills All Star Tournament at Louis Pompei Sports Park in Glendora.

LVGSA 10Us

Dakota Casper was magnificent pitching inside the circle for La Verne's 10Us.

The 10Us got the ball rolling early with their 5 p.m. start on Field 2. La Verne’s Dakota Casper was at her stingiest best, giving up only two runs in leading La Verne to a 10-2 conquest over Glendora Silver. It was also Casper who helped La Verne score the game’s first run in the third. After a one-out infield single, she eventually came around to score on another infield single by Gabby Underwood.

In the third, the bats really came alive. With two outs, lead-off hitter Sierra Korn and Brooke Jackson singled and the players were both driven home on a two-run double by Marina Williams to take a 3-0 lead.

The girls just missed in the fourth despite singles by Lauren Flores and Underwood again. In the fifth, however, La Verne pounded the ball for seven more runs to put the game out of reach. The inning started harmlessly enough with an opening walk to Destinee Lopez and a sacrifice bunt by Morgan Dunville, but then La Verne strung together six straight hits. Joining the hit parade were Korn, Jackson, Williams, Gigi Rossi, Taylor Alley and Casper. Rossi and Casper each doubled. Before the barrage ended, La Verne sent 11 batters to the plate.

Casper got hitting help from Brooke Jackson, who went 3-for-3 and Marina Williams who had two hits and 3 RBIs.

“The girls are actually finally starting to hit,” said Manager Kevin Jackson. “We’re finally getting it going. We had been struggling a little bit. That was a good opening game for us.

“If we continue to play like that, we should do very well in this tournament.”

La Verne 17, Temple City 3

The 12Us must have been inspired by the LV 10Us’ score because they went on a 17-3 rampage in their 6:30 p.m. game on Field 1.

After scoring a single run in the first, the girls scored a dozen in the second frame. They were up to bat so long that one kid watching the game pounded down a double cheese burger, a large pickle, a plate of nachos, an order of taquitos and some Sour Patch Kids candy, and the inning still had not come to a merciful close.

Mikayla Carillo pitched great for the 12Us.

In all, the girls punched out seven hits. Rapping out hits were Chelsea Carpenter, Shelbie Moore, Leticia Morales, Loraine Gatlin, Lindsey Hughes and Hailey Long. Jenna Gonzalez also slammed a three-run homer. If the girls weren’t hitting, they were showing patience at the plate by walking. Lauren Calderaro, Alexis Davis, Mikayla Carillo, Brittany Griffin, Carpenter and Moore each collected a free pass to first.

In the third and final frame – because the second inning was virtually a game in itself – La Verne once again flexed its muscles. After singles by Lauren Calderaro aand Alexis Davis, Griffin blasted a two-run homer and Gatlin followed with a solo blast. Veronica Ortega almost made it three straight homers for La Verne, but she pulled into third base a bag short with a stand-up triple.

La Verne starting pitcher Mikayla Carillo was touched up for three runs in the first inning, but then pitched masterfully the rest of the way to earn the win.

La Verne 8, Temple City Gold, 3

In the nightcap, which started at about 8:15 p.m., the La Verne 8Us went for the sweep for the La Verne teams and got it behind the right arm of Serena Navarette and the timely hitting of several of her teammates.

By the end of the season, everyone will know the names of these up-and-coming 8U stars: Haley Meyer, Serena Navarette, Keaghan Ward, Sierra Williams, Brooke DeLaO, Ashley Alvarez, Camyl Armendariz, Angelina Rojas, Sofia Delgado, Shelby Parks and Maddison Pevehouse.

La Verne got on the board early on a two-run single by Keaghan Ward and a one-run single by Ashley Alvarez.

After going quietly in the second, La Verne scored five more in the third to put the game out of reach. After Navarette led off with a double, she was promptly driven home by Kristen Alley. Later in the inning with two outs, La Verne struck again, collecting a one-run single by Alvarez and a two-run single by Camyl Armendariz. The girls might have scored more but the maximum five-run-per-inning rule was invoked.

With or without her mask, Serena Navarette was unstoppable.

On a beautiful night for softball, it was an even more gorgeous evening for La Verne. In fact, the girls were perfect, registering three wins and no losses.

This morning, all three teams are back in action in the second day of all star competition.

Navarette, right, with hitting star Ashley Alvarez, who was 2-for-2 with two RBIs.

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